Some basic information on the Rhododendron Garden The garden is on an island and the shore of the Baltic Sea is some 100 meters (330 ft) away. The garden area is surrounded by rocks. The natural vegetation consists of trees and shrubs such as Pinus sylvetris, Picea abies, Betula pendula and Juniperus communis. Natural ground covering plants are e.g. Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Vaccinium uliginosum, Calluna vulgaris, Empetrum nigrum, Anemone nemorosa and Dactylorhiza maculata. Water is flowing from the neighbouring marsh. The most common plant on the marsh is the Rhododendron tomentosum ssp. tomentosum! The soil consists of black, loose mould rich in organic matter and with good drainage. The pH of the soil is close to 5.5 and as such perfect for rhododendrons. The microclimate is almost windless and warmer than the average temperature on the island. The surrounding forest shields from the storms and the large rocks radiate heat stored from sunshine. On winters there is not always snow so you cannot depend on good snow cover. Young and tender plants need to be protected with shelters. The climate zone is officially Ia (Finnish system) which corresponds to the zone 5b (USDA).